Bryce Cotton Claims Sixth NBL MVP; Runner-Up Questions Voting Transparency

Bryce Cotton of the Adelaide 36ers has been honored with his sixth NBL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, securing his third consecutive Andrew Gaze Trophy. The annual awards ceremony, held on Monday, February 23, also celebrated Brian Goorjian as Coach of the Year and recognized other top performers. However, the MVP announcement was quickly followed by public concerns raised by Sydney Kings guard Kendric Davis, the runner-up, who called for increased transparency in the NBL's voting system.

Awards Ceremony Highlights

The Andrew Gaze MVP Awards Night was broadcast live on Monday, February 23, across multiple platforms. The event commenced at 7:30 pm AEDT.

The nomination process began with an expert panel, including NBL legends Andrew Gaze, Olgun Uluc, Derek Rucker, Michael Cedar, and John Casey, determining an initial pool of nominees. Following this, coaches and captains from all 10 NBL teams cast their votes, with a strict rule preventing them from voting for players from their own club. The NBL had previously announced its intention to reveal the three finalists in each category once the voting concluded.

Major Individual Honors

Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers) claimed the Andrew Gaze Trophy for Most Valuable Player, marking his sixth NBL MVP award and third consecutive win. This outstanding achievement positions him just one MVP award shy of Andrew Gaze's all-time record. Cotton, playing for the Adelaide 36ers after transferring from the Perth Wildcats, was instrumental in his team's second-place finish and a semi-final appearance. He also earned the Champion Fans’ MVP award. Cotton recently became an Australian citizen, making him eligible for potential selection for the Boomers at the 2027 World Cup and 2028 LA Olympics.

Brian Goorjian (Sydney Kings) secured his seventh Coach of the Year award, 34 years after his inaugural win. Goorjian successfully guided the Sydney Kings to the top of the NBL ladder.

Other Key Awards

• Most Improved Player: Flynn Cameron (Adelaide 36ers)
• Step One Next Generation Award: Sam Mennenga (New Zealand Breakers)
• Sixth Man of the Year: Angus Glover (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
• Damian Martin Defensive Player of the Year: John Brown III (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
• Executive of the Year: Nic Barbato (Adelaide 36ers)
• Referee of the Year: Michael Aylen

MVP Race and Voting Controversy

Bryce Cotton secured the MVP title with 96 votes, narrowly edging out Kendric Davis (Sydney Kings), who finished with 94 votes. Kristian Doolittle of the Perth Wildcats and Nathan Sobey of the South East Melbourne Phoenix tied for third place, each receiving 59 votes.

Both point guards, Cotton and Davis, guided their teams to top positions on the NBL ladder, showcasing comparable individual statistics throughout the season.

• Cotton averaged 25.7 points, 7.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game.
• Davis recorded averages of 24.4 points, 6.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.
• Davis also demonstrated superior field goal efficiency at 48 percent, compared to Cotton's 44 percent.

The NBL's MVP voting process involves the head coach and captain of each club, alongside an expert panel. Votes are cast on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis. These votes are equally weighted across three groups: the combined head coaches, the combined captains, and the expert panel. Coaches and captains are expressly prohibited from voting for players on their own teams.

Following the announcement, Kendric Davis publicly voiced his concerns regarding the transparency of the MVP voting process. In an Instagram Live video and at the Finals Launch, Davis called for the disclosure of individual voter selections, similar to practices in the NBA.

Davis suggested that the current system, which includes votes from players, could be influenced by personal relationships rather than solely performance.

He also referenced past NBL posts he stated characterized him as a "bad teammate," indicating his belief that the league did not want him to win the award. In an interview, Davis described Cotton's win as a "popularity contest" and the process as "political."

When questioned about Davis's comments at an NBL finals press conference, Bryce Cotton stated he was not fully aware of what had been said. The NBL confirmed on Tuesday that while it regularly reviews its processes, there are currently no plans to alter the MVP voting system. Davis has since stated his focus has shifted to winning a Championship. Both Davis's Sydney Kings and Cotton's Adelaide 36ers are scheduled to participate in the upcoming NBL finals.

All-NBL Teams

• Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers)
• Kendric Davis (Sydney Kings)
• Nathan Sobey (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
• Kristian Doolittle (Perth Wildcats)
• John Brown III (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

• Jack McVeigh (Cairns Taipans)
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand Breakers)
• Xavier Cooks (Sydney Kings)
• Bryce Hamilton (Tasmania JackJumpers)
• Zylan Cheatham (Adelaide 36ers)

Notably, three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee was not selected for either All-NBL team.

Additional Recognitions

The awards ceremony also acknowledged other special recognitions, including the Gametime by Kmart Award, Tangerine Dunk of the Year, and the Three Pointer of the Year presented by Mitsubishi Motors Australia.